and white chocolate cake for dessert.

MORAGA President Brian South rang the bell

and launched the meeting. Guests

ROTARY included Moraga Police officers Will

Davis, Randy Pacheco, Cathy Ghiselli
and Fabby Hernandez along with our
NEWSLETTER speaker, Linda Foley, Mary Caburi
Ann Damaschino and new Moraga
Town Council member Sona Makker.
December 7, 2021
Greeter/Invocator, Angelo Costanza,
offered an historical commentary and
prayer to commemorate the 80th
Next Meeting: Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day and
then led the pledge to the flag.
Rotary Holiday Party
~~Birthdays & Anniversaries~~
Tuesday, December 14 Mike McClure celebrated his birthday
with a dinner at Ruth Chris with his wife.
5:30 PM
No anniversaries.
Serbian Church
~~Happy Bucks~~
1700 School Street, Moraga Mary Sue Erickson had $5 Happy
Greeter: Ron Mucovich Bucks as Lafayette Ace Hardware was
rated the best overall store and the store
Zoom connection information for next week’s with best attention to detail during a
meeting will be distributed early next week company tour of 8 stores in the area.
Upcoming Speakers: Mike McClure had $5 Happy Bucks to
December 21 -- No Meeting recognize new Moraga Town Council
.
December 28 – No Meeting member Sona Makker. See photo next
page.

We met at La Finestra Restaurant

where chef/owner/Rotarian Jeff Assadi
served a delicious buffet with a caesar
salad, caprese salad, penne sausage
pasta, steamed veggies, salmon
scottato, with fruit, vanilla cheesecake
 Irwin will present a video of the
celebration of Cliff’s 60th anniversary in
Rotary.
John Erickson reminded us that the
Rotary Holiday Party will include wine at
each table, but you may BYOB.
The Moraga Police officers thanked the
club for the Toys for Tots donated at the
meeting. This year’s program is
dedicated to the memory of Kevin
Mooney, the Moraga Police detective
who passed away earlier this year.
President Brian reported that $400 in
cash had been donated by our members
for the program. Commented [RM1]:

Jim Campbell had $5 Happy Bucks for

the great participation by club members
in today’s Toys for Tots campaign

~~Announcements~~
Debbie Roessler needs help in
arranging for new speakers. Please give
her your ideas and contacts.
The next Dinner with Rotary is scheduled
for Thursday, December 16, with a Brian reported that the pot for the Encore
takeout dinner from La Finestra. game is nearly depleted. If you want to
Jennifer Brophy reported that 89 be a participant, please contribute $10.
dinners had been sold to date with a goal
of 200 set by President Brian. A flyer is ~~Rotary Minute~~
attached. The dinner will benefit
Community Violence solutions. None this week.
Volunteers are needed to help with food
distribution at the event. Contact Brian to ~~Program~~
help. Debbie Roessler introduced our
speaker, Linda Foley, a 50-year resident
A celebration of life for Cliff Dochterman
of Moraga and former Director of Public
will be held on Friday, January 14 at 2pm
Relations at St Mary’s College.
at Holy Trinity Cultural Center, (Serbian
Church) 1700 School Street Moraga.
Linda was born and raised in a small
At the first meeting of the new year Gary town in Germany. She is an artist, writer,
gardener and two term President of the Butterfly Garden.
Moraga Garden Club.

The theme of her talk was Digging Deep

and connecting to the community through
gardening.

Growing up in Germany her home had a

large garden and the family sold produce
at the local farmer’s market. She read a
poem, a tribute to her parents, regarding
their contributions to the success of the
farmer’s market in that community

Moving to Moraga provided a major

challenge to gardening due to the poor
clay soils. She developed her garden and
raised her children for an appreciation of
gardening. Her grandson is now involved ~Encore Game~~
and even does canning. She read a The Encore game had an official prize of
poem about it and how gardening is a $40. Angelo Costanza was the selected
good teaching tool for children. participant. He guessed ace of
diamonds, but spades were the winner.
She mentioned there is nothing tastier Next week the pot is $50.
than a tomato fresh off the vine. A poem
was read on this subject.
~ Future Greeter/Invocators~
Her favorite spots in the garden are the
potting shed and the gazebo where she 12/21 - No meeting
can view the roses growing, the subject 12/28 - No meeting
of a poem read.
Moraga Rotary Officers:
She has also worked at the Moraga :
Family Farm and the Monarch Butterfly President Brian South
Garden at Rancho Laguna Park.
Co-Presidents Elect Igor Kipnis and Roger
Gregory
The Moraga Garden Club holds monthly
meetings to discuss gardening issues Secretary Jennifer Brophy
learn new gardening techniques This 50-
year Moraga institution is involved in Executive Secretary Evie Michon
community beautification projects Treasurer Debbie Koo
including maintaining the flower triangle
at the intersection of Rheem Boulevard Program Chair Debbie Roessler
and Moraga Road, the flowering urns on
Country Club Drive and the Monarch Community Tony Schoemehl
Service Chair
 International Debbie Koo & Dianne Linda May &
Service Chairs Wilson Jim Campbell
Foundation Chair John Erickson District Governor 5160 Kathy Suvia

Youth Services Rich Render President, Shekar Mahta

Chair Rotary
International
Public Relations Chair Gary Irwin
This month’s Newsletter Editor – Ron Mucovich
Fund Raising Chair Frank May

Membership Chairs Roger Gregory &

Hubert Ma
Advisors to the Board Cliff Dochterman,
Mary Sue Erickson,
SEE